Mediators are waiting for the Israeli response to the new Gaza cease-fire proposal

The Arab mediators are waiting for an official response from Israel after Hamas said that he had accepted a new proposal for a cease-fire and hostage release contract.

The plan was presented by Qatar and Egypt, which are trying to avoid a new Israeli offensive to fully occupy Gaza.

Qatar said that it was “almost identical” to an American proposal for a 60 -day truce, during which about half of the 50 hostages detained in Gaza – 20 of which would be alive – would be handed over and the two parties would negotiate a lasting ceasefire and the return of the rest.

In recent days, the Israeli government has declared that it would no longer accept a partial agreement – only a complete one that would see all the hostages released.

Local media have cited a senior Israeli official saying: “The position of Israel has not changed – release of all hostages and fulfilling other conditions defined to end the war.”

Later this week, the Israeli cabinet should approve the military plan to occupy the city of Gaza, where the intensification of Israeli strikes has already encouraged thousands of people to flee.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel’s intention to conquer all Gaza – including areas where most of his 2.1 million Palestinian residents have sought refuge – after indirect talks with Hamas on a cease -fire contract that decomposed last month.

Monday evening, a statement from Hamas announced that the armed group and other Palestinian factions had approved a cease-fire proposal presented by Egyptian and Qatari mediators to their delegations in Cairo the day before.

The head of Hamas, Taher al-nununu, told Al-Arabby TV that they had not requested any modification of the proposal, which he described as “a partial agreement leading to a complete agreement”.

He also stressed that the first day of its implementation, negotiations would begin with the aim of accepting a permanent cease-fire.

“We hope that the 60 days of ceasefire will be sufficient to conclude a final agreement which will end this war completely,” he said.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Majed Al-Ansari, told journalists to Doha on Tuesday that the proposal was “98%” similar to that presented by the sending of the American Middle East Steve Witkoff.

“I will not enter into the details of the language that is on the table right now. But what I can say is that it is very close, almost identical to what was there on the table,” said Ansari.

“It is within the limits of Witkoff’s plan … It is a continuation of this process. Obviously, it is in the details where the devil is.”

Witkoff had proposed a 60 -day truce that would see Hamas release 10 living hostages and the 18 hostages who died in two phases, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees detained in Israeli prisons. He also declared that negotiations on a final agreement to end the war would begin on the first day of the agreement.

Israel accepted Witkoff’s plan, but Hamas rejected it, in part because it was not inclined to guarantee that the temporary cease-fire would lead to a permanent this.

The Israeli media reported that Israeli officials were examining the new proposal and Hamas’ response.

According to Kan public broadcaster, Netanyahu has not excluded the possibility of a partial agreement despite his recent declarations that he will only accept a complete agreement.

On Saturday evening, his office published a statement saying that Israel “would accept an agreement provided that all hostages are released in one go, and in accordance with our conditions to end the war”.

These conditions included the disarmament of Hamas, the demilitarization of Gaza, the Israeli control of the Gaza perimeter and the installation of non-Hamas and not Palestinian governance, he added.

Netanyahu said on Monday in a video he had discussed with Israeli military commanders high of their “plans concerning Gaza City and the completion of our missions”.

“Like you, I hear reports in the media, and from them, you can get an impression-Hamas is under immense pressure,” he added.

US President Donald Trump has pending on social networks: “We will only see the return of the hostages remaining when Hamas is confronted and destroyed !!! The sooner it takes place, the best will be the chances of success.”

However, the hostage families fear that the new Gaza City offensive can endanger those detained there.

Sunday evening, hundreds of thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv to demand that their government accept an agreement with Hamas to end the war now and bring all the hostages home. Netanyahu accused the demonstrators of hardening Hamas’ negotiation position.

The Israeli army launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the attack by Hamas against southern Israel on October 7, 2023, during which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 62,004 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Ministry of Health managed by Hamas in the territory.

Most of the Gaza population has also been moved several times; It is estimated that more than 90% of the houses are damaged or destroyed; Health, water, sanitation and hygiene systems collapsed; And worldwide food security experts have warned that the “worst scenario of famine is currently taking place” due to food shortages.